Questioning
by DDT87
Summary: A story about Pearl set between the episodes "The Return" and "Jailbreak", where she gets questioned about what happened to Rose Quartz, will Pearl be able to resist? This it's my first fanfiction and my first language isn't english, please let me know if you like the story and the grammar are correct, I will read any review with great interest.
1. Chapter 1

The last thing Pearl remembered was being taken out by Jasper and her horrible weapon, if her memory served her right it was called "destabilizer" and both she and Amethyst fell to a simple touch of the device.

The sensation still haunted her, feeling the energy from the destabilizer entering her body and painfully taking over every molecule of it while tracing on her a complex pattern of regular yellow lines before feeling herself becoming numb and fall to the ground defeated, shattered into pieces, their victory in the war now meaningless as every line of Earth's defense fell under the strenght of the modern Homeworld technology.

Hoewer her biggest regret was losing Steven, her heart was in pain as soon as he was captured by that horrible Jasper, it would've been better if Steven never came back to save them from the space ship weapons, at least he would've been still free.

Pearl looked at her sourroundings, she was sitting in a small room, judging from the green color of the weird metal it was inside Peridot's ship, in front of her was visible an energy barrier, it looked similar to the power from Jasper's destabilizer, touching it would probabily prove to be a bad idea yet, somebody in a cell near her screamed in pain.

"Argh!

Stupid energy barrier, let me out of here!"

It was Amethyst voice, of course she would've tried to escape but it was obvious to Pearl that their situation was desperate and she yelled to her friend:

"Stop it Amethyst!

You can't pass that barrier and these walls are too strong for your whip or my spear, whe're trapped!"

The purple gem stopped her thrashing and come closer to the wall separating her from her companion:

"P.?

Is that you?"

Pearl's answer came right away:

"Yes, it seems we're trapped, I guess Sapphire and Ruby will be in separate cells, did you hear them?"

"No, sorry P. it's just you and me, no Steven either."

Of course, Jasper was more interested in Steven than them, just the thought of her baby trapped in a cell like that made the entire situation unbearable, Pearl's big eyes began to water and soon she was crying.

She failed both Steven and Rose, she didn't protect the planet Rose was so attached to, she didn't protect the humans and all the other living beings she loved so much and worse than everything else, she wasn't able to defend Steven.

Amethyst slouched on the wall next to her fellow Crystal Gem before hitting it and yelling:

"Hnnng Pearl!

Crying will not solve our problems, we need to think a way out and I'm not good with this stuff!"

Pearl stopped her crying and began to shout at Amethyst as well:

"Oh sorry Amethyst, we're just trapped in prison and going back to Homeworld to face death or worse!

I wouldn't care so much for us but Steven is here as well and we don't know what those monster might do to him!"

The purple gem expression darkened as she responded:

"I've never been to this Homeworld and Lapis sounded really scared in her message, are you suggesting to take her advice and be nice and obedient so that maybe they will treat us a little better?"

Pearl wiped away her tears with a hand before answering to Amethyst:

"That would be usless, even if we cooperated they would never let us free, if we're lucky they might just execute us, but probabily they are thinking about something worse."

The purple gem interrupted:

"Like putting us in a mirror?"

Pearl slouched on the wall as well before answering:

"Something like that..."

Lapis Lazuli pretty much sold them off to Homeworld, not a good way to repay Steven's good intentions when he freed her from her prison, he din't deserve to be alone and afraid on this horrible ship, such irony since she was the one willing to show space to him, now she would gladly gave her life to help him go back to Earth safe and sound.

Probabily Amethyst's toughts were on the same line before getting back up in alert when both of them heard some heavy footsteps coming closer to they cells.

The two Crystal Gems eyes became incredibly hostile when they noticed the muscolar gem coming closer to them, Jasper looked at them with an expression mixed between boredom and disappointment, she didn't seem really interested in what they had to say at the moment and she replied only when they asked what happened to Steven:

"Rose it's taking a nap in her own cell and she will remain there until we get to Homeworld, but if I were you I will be worried about myself and luckily there's a chance to improve your situation."

Both Pearl and Amethyst looked at Jasper with a puzzled look, they were glad that at least Steven was safe but the homeworld gem couldn't have any good intention, of course they might have began to collaborate like Lapis told them to, but it would've been futile and they both knew it.

Their captor began to speak once again:

"I need to know anything related to Rose Quartz and you two have the information I need, talk and I will grant you a better treatment on Homeworld, otherwise I will need to find another way to take those informations from you."

Pearl and Amethyst were tense, they couldn't tell Jasper anything related to Steven or Rose, they spoke almost at the same time:

"You will never get any information from us!"

Amethyst continued:

"Yeah, we'll never betray the little man, now get lost!"

Jasper got dangerously close to Amethyst's cell, looking down on her with a confident expression:

"You have attitude for an overcooked runt, but I don't think you would be so confident if you knew what Homeworld does to traitors, we will certainly make a good example out of you."

Then she moved to Pearl's cell before speaking again:

"You on the other hand have been there, you might be just a defective Pearl but you should be able to tell what your destiny might be if you don't collaborate with us."

Pearl looked away from Jasper then she spoke:

"I know... despite this, I will not betray Rose!"

Jasper looked annoyed by this but she didn't seem mad, to the contrary, a scary grin began to appear on her face, making her appear even more intimidating:

"It seems like we hit a point of stall, very well, remember that you asked for it."

And hitting a code on the wall next to Pearl's cell she dissipated the energy keeping her trapped before catching the pale gem by the arm, her hold was incredibly strong and the Crystal Gem was unable to free herself from it despite her efforts, Jasper give a strong pull before dragging her in the corridor, Amethyst was clearly distressed and she uslessly tried do force the enegy wall in front of hearl screaming Pearl's name over and over.

The pale gem asked to Jasper in a clearly distressed tone, she had all the reasons to be scared and she couldn't hide her fear to the enemy:

"Where are we going?"

Jasper didn't turn in her direction continuing to drag her along while answering:

"I offered you an occasion to be useful and get some mercy from Homeworld, since you aren't cooperating I guess I will be forced to extract those information in a more forceful way."

Pearl's mind began to run wild with hypothesis about her destination, was it possible that Homeworld developed some sort of mind-reading technology?

And what kind of effects could it have on gems?

Jasper stopped her march in front of a metal door, Pearl tried to extract her spear from her gem with her free hand but the warrior quickly slammed her on the wall making the pale gem gasp in surprise, Jasper blocked the other hand as well looking Pearl in the eyes before telling her:

"You're just a Pearl, you are usless on your own and you can't win against me, try something funny again and you will be back in your gem before you know it!"

Jasper then released one of her hands in order to open the door and pull her prisoner inside telling her:

"Now get in, it's time for your questioning!"


	2. Chapter 2

Pearl was brought in a small and poorly lit room with a large metal table in the middle, the walls looked exactly like the ones in the rest of the ship, on the far end of the room, opposite to the door, the Crystal Gem was able to see what looked like a small green drawer, she could only assume that it contained the instruments Jasper would've have used during her "questioning".

The idea sent waves of fear all over her body, she knew what Homeworld gem did to their prisoners during the war and Jasper was a veteran from that war, she seemed obsessed with Rose and nothing would stop her from getting every bit of information avaiable.

Pearl knew that she would've needed all of her will to keep Steven as safe as she could, she already failed once, she didn't want to fail twice.

Jasper suddently threw the Crystal Gem on the table, stunning her for a few seconds and typing some command on the table that began to light up, drawing on it's surface numerous green lines that gave a sinister green light to the poorly lit room.

Soon, the homeworld gem typed another command and from the table began to emerge thin bracelets wich automatically placed themselves on Pearl's wrists, ancles, waist and around her neck.

Then the futuristic rings began to glow green like the table and forced Pearl to lie on it's surface, like if she was kept in place by a very powerful magnet.

The Crystal Gem looked at her wrists, firmly locked on the metal table at the height of her head and her eyes widened in fear when she noticed that those green lines were beginning to extend on her skin next to the metal bracelet, Jasper quickly explained:

"Those will prevent you from shape-shifting, this is something we didn't have back then and it's very convenient for me and a less painful alternative for you."

Pearl took a deep breath to relax herself, she didn't need air to live but it felt good to do it every once in a while during a stressful situation, turning her head to the orange gem she stated:

"It doesn't really matter since you are going to torture me."

Using that word made the situation feel real to the pale gem, until then it all felt like a nightmare, one of those "messed up movies" Steven had every once in a while, she used to watch him sleep at every opportunity before he began to notice and was always ready to comfort her baby whenever he had a bad dream.

He might've been about to wake up in a reality that was worse than any nightmare and this time she wouldn't be there to comfort him.

Jasper moved towards the green drawer, while she was opening it she answered Pearl:

"I gave you an alternative and both you and the runt decided to refuse it, we might've forgiven you for your pathetic resistance back on that miserable hunk of rock, but you kept being a defective little Pearl."

Jasper took something from the drawer before closing while the Crystal Gem yelled furiosly:

"No mercy you could offer would ever be an acceptable exchange for Steven's well-being!"

She was unable to move due to her restrains but she still tried to broke free from the table and shut up that horrible and cruel gem, however she quickly calmed down when she looked in horror at the instrument Jasper was holding in her hand when the homewolrd gem entered again in her view.

Jasper hold the destabilizer a few inches from Pearl's face while speaking, enjoying the fear showing on the traitor's face:

"I guess a lost little Pearl like you will always need somebody to hide behind but here there's only me and you, Rose can't save you and you will talk!"

Jasper lowered the destabilizer to Pearl's chest, the Crystal Gem was scared, she remembered the pain that horrible weapon inflicted her but she didn't understand what use something like that could've had during an interrogation and she dared to ask about it:

"I-I don't understand why are you showing me that thing, sending me back to my gem can't be of any use to you!"

The orange gem grinned maliciously at the pale gem before explaining:

"Of course, you remember the old style interrogation when we would beat up the traitor until she was almost unable to keep her phisical form, but you see, we devised a far more efficient and civil method to deal with the likes of you."

At the end of her sentence Jasper quickly stabbed Pearl in the chest and the surprised Crystal Gem yelled from the pain.

The destabilizer energy felt less powerful than before and the pain remained concentrated in her chest area, however the pain was incredibly intense, it felt like she was being elettrocuted at first but after a few seconds she began to understand what was happening to her body.

That thing wasn't elettrocuting her but it was separating every molecule that composed her, it felt like she was being torn apart on a cellular level and the pain was overwhelming, when Jasper removed the destabilizer from her chest, the pain didn't fade right away but it took a few seconds.

Pearl stopped screaming and took many deep breaths while she noticed that her view was blurry from her tears, she didn't even notice until that moment and blinked quickly to clear her sight.

Jasper grinned again before explaining what happened:

"The destabilizer it's useful as a weapon at full power, but it's energy at lover settings could be used in various ways, for example as a barrier for your jailcells, painful to the touch but not strong enough to destroy your phisical form and of course, it's very useful for situations like these, I can inflict you all the pain I want and you will not retreat to your gem."

Jasper brought the destabilizer closer to Pearl's face in a treatening manner before asking again:

"Now, tell me averything you can about Rose Quartz and I will spare you from other pain, you were never made to take something like this, Pearls like you are fragile gems, that overcooked runt might be stupid enough to endure this, but you know better, you know that you will talk sooner or later."

Pearl took another deep breath before answering:

"N-no, I will not talk!"

Jasper's expression darkened:

"This was just a quick little shock and you are already a trembling crying mess, the next one will be a lot longer."

Pearl tought back to all the happy memories she had built with Steven and Rose, she couldn't betray them in any circustances, to any kind of pain, she would resist, she knew that Garnet and Amethyst would've done the same, Ruby and Sapphire were a lot stronger than they looked as well.

It was true that she was just a Pearl, that she was worthless on her own, but she did this for her friends, mere phisical pain couldn't bring her to betray them, she was stronger than Homeworld cruelty, she had to be.

She spoke again, esitantly:

"I...will not talk."

Jasper didn't speak, her anger grew looking at that weak and worthless gem keeping her from obtaining the information she wanted about Rose Quartz, that form she had taken was an insult to the respect she had for her most fearsome enemy, she run away in fear from what now was just a sick joke and that Pearl dared to keep her from her prize?!

The homeworld gem hit the Crystal Gem with the destabilizer, Pearl's screams were muffled from the special walls of that room otherwise every single gem on the ship would've heard them.


	3. Chapter 3

Pearl blinked away her tears, breathing quickly in order to relax her body and ease the pain.

Jasper had stabbed her with the destabilizer for several seconds and her chest was burning, every molecule of her body was trying to get back to the others while several shocks from the destabilizer's energy kept them apart even after the weapon was removed from her body.

Jasper looked at her coldly, repeating the same words, like a broken record:

"Tell me everything you know about Rose Quartz, don't force my hand!"

Pearl knew she didn't stand a chance against that pain, but she didn't want to betray Steven, she was a knight after all and her safety wasn't as important as Steven's, like Rose, he was everything that counted at the end of the day and she wouldn't let any harm come to him, even in the form of informations.

There was no telling what Homeworld would've done to him if they knew that he was only half-gem, they might dissect him to discover how his biological body worked or tryied to make him retreat to his gem to see what it would've happened.

There was no way she could let that happened and they needed time in order to think something, any plan to get back on Earth in a city where Steven could've been safe and...Pearl's thoughts stopped as a new wave of pain originated from one of her legs, it seemed like Jasper was tired to hit her chest and she began to work on her limbs, telling her:

"Don't space out!

I won't give you the time to even think about lying and if you do, I will notice."

The sharp pain stopped and soon Pearl felt a big hand caressing her check, wiping away some of her tears, un unexpected kind gesture followed by a far less intimidating speech:

"You can stop this you know?

There's no shame in giving up to the pain and you did resist far more than I anticipated, talk and this will end."

Pearl's chest still hurt and her leg was in an even worst shape, the homeworld gem had increased the strenght of her instrument of torture and the Crystal Gem knew that she could do much worse, even that kindness was just a well-tought and praticed part of her questioning.

It was supposed to penetrate where the pain couldn't, to break her willpower as much as the pain, Pearl spoke with a raspy voice, her throat felt sore as a consequence of her pained screams:

"I... can't..."

Quickly she felt her other leg shocked by the pain inflicted by the destabilizer, her body tried to move but her restraints were impossible to move and the pain was so intense that she didn't notice the destabilizer being freed from her body until it stabbed her arm.

Another wave of pain made her body tremble while her limbs began to become numb, another painful stab hit her other arm and she closed her teary eyes in the desperate effort to retire in herself and stop thinking about the pain and her hopeless situation, she felt someone yell but now she had gotten used to it and she almost didn't register them as her own screams.

After what it felt like an eternity, she felt the pain reduce, the destabilizer was removed from her body and the pain slowly began to fade, leaving Pearl trembling in her restraints.

Jasper didn't ask anything, she let her prisoner recuperate a little from the pain before stabbing her in the stomach, Pearl felt her body jerk in every direction from the shock before she was allowed a little relief from her jailer who caressed her hair coming closer to her face and gently whispering to her victim:

"Do you think you had enough?

Sure that THING isn't worth all this pain, I can see that you are scared, but only you can stop this."

And she was right, Pearl was trembling in fear, even Jasper's touch gave her some sense of safety and it was absurd considering that she was the one inflicting the pain, Pearl didn't want this to continue, she felt tired, ready to retreat in her gem, maybe think a little about herself and how weak she was compared to her companions, but she was a pearl and pearls weren't able to do anything by themselves, Amethyst was certainly able to resist all of this and a part of her for a moment tought that it would've been better if Jasper had choosen her instead.

Pearl retreated in horror from Jasper's touch, she was about to wish that pain for her friend and that made her weakness overwhelming, she had to endure since she was such a wortless and horrible gem!

Amethyst would've never tought something like that, they fought often but she knew she could count on her friendship, she found a little determination coming back when Jasper suddently pulled her hair, speaking menacingly to her:

"Listen to me you defective chunk of rock!

Tell me what happened to Rose Quartz and you will spare this not only to yourself but to your little friends as well."

Pearl opened her eyes in horror looking to the other gem that kept speaking:

"Maybe I'll take the blue one and let the red one watch, this way I'll get a little more chance to get some information out of them, I should've bring that overcooked runt as well, maybe she would talk to make you stop screaming."

She looked Pearl in the eyes, a look full of cruelty and rage, the homeworld gem was about to gave her worst and Pearl was in her power.  
Jasper brought the destabilizer right in front of Pearl's eyes, she looked at it in fear while the homeworld gem began to talk once again:

"I've put this thing on the maximum setting for this use, you will feel it all over your body, not just over one part of it, do you really want me to use it?"

Pearl began to talk thanks to the panic growing in her stomach:

"N-no please!

Keep it away!"

Jasper kept talking becoming more menacing:

"Talk then!

Tell me everything and I will bring you back to your cell!"

Pearl was desperate and she struggled deciding what to do, she wasn't able to make up a credible lie in that time and she didn't want to suffer any more, but she didn't want to betray her friends either, she still was unsure about what to do when Jasper began to lower the destabilizer on her prisoner's chest.

Pearl began to yell to stop her:

"No please!

Don't do that...I...I..."

Jasper looked at her with anticipation, sure that she would finally talk when Pearl closed her eyes and finally decide what to do:

"I...can't!"

The pain came immediatly, Jasper stabbed her in the chest with rage, the pain quickly expanded all over her body, she felt like every single atoms of her being was beginning to split up and be replaced with incledibly hot fire.

All over her body thick yellow lines began to appear, leaving her the impression that they were burning in her body.

She yelled until she lost her voice, her tears kept flowing and everything ended after what she tought were hours in wich every single one of her senses was hit by the pain in a way or another.

She took big breaths and hardly listened to the argument between Jasper and Peridot trough the comunicator, unable to tell what they were saying.

Her ears ringed for the shock and her body felt numb and usless, her vision was blurry from the tears and she was only able to see Jasper's back, Peridot was unable to hear the Crystal Gem weak moans from her comunicator.

"I already told you Peridot, the mission it's not as important as Rose Quartz, now go prepare the engine and set the course for Homeworld!

Now leave me alone!"

She emphatised her words with a punch to the wall, that put and end to the conversation but it didn't looked like it was the end of it.

Jasper turned back to Pearl, giving her a glare full of disgust and barely containig her rage, she come closer to the crystal gem and begun to release her from her bindings, talking to her:

"Our little meeting ends here for now, I have to talk some sense into my subordinate but don't worry, you and I will pick up right where we left.

We will have plenty of time during our trip back home."

Pearl barely reacted to the news, she was glad it was over for now but she knew that her torment had only just begun, she was unable to move and she kept sobbing quietly even when Jasper put her on her muscolar shoulder, the homeworld gem kept talking:

"You forced me to this, if you cooperate you can expect a little mercy for the rest of the trip, otherwise not only you, but also your friends will come to suffer from your stubbrn silence, remember this pain and think carefully how you will answer to me the next time I will come to your jail cell."

When Amethyst saw Jasper holding a still Pearl, she quickly got up and began calling the name of her friend, not hearing any answer, she quickly yelled at Jasper:

"What did you do to her you monster!?"

The homeworld gem answer came short after:

"I've just asked her some questions, sadly, she didn't want to answer."

Jasper smirked before grabbing Pearl by the sash and lifting the Crystal Gem in front of Amethyst, allowing the two of them to look at each other.

Amethyst looked in horror at Pearl's face, she was crying and her expression was incredibly tired, all over her body were still visible some of the yellow lines left by the destabilizer, the gems hair were disheveled and her eyes were full of fear and pain and the purple gem felt her chest grow tight.

Pearl just let her head hung in shame, closing her eyes and hiding her face from her friend, she didn't wanted to be seen in that state, she didn't deserve her pity.

She knew that she had been really close to give up everything just to stop that pain, she was weak and worthless.

Jasper trew her in her cell before reactivating the energy field, the homeworld gem left with few words:

"Think carefully about my offer."

Amethyst yelled something to Jasper but Pearl was unable to hear it, her body felt so heavy and yet, she wasn't able to retreat in her gem, sleeping might've help, but she didn't knew how to do it and asking Amethyst was beyond her forces.

She lied on the cold floor, feeling just a vibration when the ship took off for space, too weak to move, too tired to think.


	4. Chapter 4

"Pearl!"

The pale Crystal Gem come back to her senses when she heard a familiar voice calling for her, how much time had passed since she had lost counsciousness?

Pearl slowly got back on her feet answering weakly to Amethyst's constant calling:

"...Amethyst."

Behind the wall the purple gem stopped shouting her name in order to ask her:

"I'm so happy you're still with me P!

I was worried that Jasper had done some permanent damage, I've kept calling you for a while, how do you feel?"

Pearl's body had gone back to it's usual look, the yellow lines were no more and the great pain she had felt before had now turned into a weak sore sensation diffused to her body, however the memories were still as strong as before but she didn't feel like burdening Amethyst with them so she answered:

"I'm fine, you don't need to worry."

Amethyst's answer surprised her:

"Don't need to worry!?

That monster did something horrible to you and I shouldn't worry?!"

The purple gem sounded very angry but she calmed down quickly assuming a more worried tone:

"P, I don't know what Jasper did to you but you were in a lot of pain and that scared me, if only she picked me..."

Pearl quickly interrupted her slamming a fist on the metal wall separating them:

"Don't you even think about it!

Doing that for me would've been a mistake, I don't deserve your compassion!"

Amethyst's tone grew even more worried when she replied:

"What do you mean?

We don't always see eye to eye but seeing you broken like that felt too painful than every thing Jasper might do to me..."

Pearl felt even more disgusted by her toughts during the questioning, when she wished that Jasper would've chosed Amethyst instead of her.

She began to yell, cutting off her friend's words:

"S-stop it!

When Jasper was torturing me I wished that you were chosen instead of me, I considered telling everything I knew to that monster just to stop the pain, I don't deserve your pity!"

For a while there was just silence while Pearl's words sinked in Amethyst, the only sound that was audible were the quiet sobs of the pale Crystal Gem.

She felt horrible but she couldn't keep facing Amethyst after what she had tought, this way she felt like a very heavy weight was lifted from her chest, but she knew that now Amethyst would never have anything to do with her again.

Pearl crouched on the ground waiting for Amethyst's rage, but when she spoke, she did it with a low and reassuring tone:

"You considered giving up to the pain but you didn't, you grinded your teeth and kept suffering not only for Steven but for all of us, this is what makes you stronger than that monster."

Pearl stopped sobbing and looked in complete and total shock to the wall separating her from Amethyst, she got closer to it and quietly she said:

"Do...do you really think that?"

"Of course P!

I didn't feel your pain and as far as I know I've might've cracked under her questioning, for me it's easy to say that I will take your place, it's just a way to not feel bad about that little voice that told me that I was lucky to not be the one in pain on Jasper's shoulder!"

Pearl begun to understand what Amethyst was trying to say:

"You mean..."

"I mean that it doesn't matter who was picked by Jasper, I would hate the pain like you and you would've felt as guilty as me right now for having been unable to stop this from happening."

"Oh Amethyst..."

Pearl would've liked to hug the purple gem but in their situation this was impossible, they got closer to each other and sit quietly, knowing that other words would've been usless right now.

Even if their situation was desperate they still had each other and that was a powerful source of strenght, she closed her eyes thinking about Steven and how much stronger he had became, she tought about his voice and how all her pain was for his sake, he was important and she had to protect him at all costs.

"Hey you guys!"

She was even beginning to hear his voice, Jasper had done quite the number on her-

"Guys it's me, Steven!"

She opened her eyes and when she saw her precious little Steven smiling at her she felt like a ray of light just pierced the darkness engoulfing her.

She worried about his black eye and when he touched the barrier she worried that he might've been hurt by it.

They all got in a tight embrace before going to the control room, Amethyst smiled at Pearl and asked her with a low tone of voice:

"Are you able to run P?"

Pearl's answer was confident:

"Yes, I still feel a little sore but this won't certainly stop me, not now that we both can do something about our situation."

The two Crystal Gems exchanged a quick smile before following Steven to the main deck of the ship.

* * *

 **With this chapter we go back to the main series as we all know what happens from this point on in the show, I will add a few extra chapters considering other events related to this story in other points of the show.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this little story and thanks for all your support!**


End file.
